The Tip of the Iceberg — Adam’s Angle

Sometimes we view God’s goodness to us like like we would a visit from our favorite Aunt Suzie — we’re genuinely thankful to see her, but wish she would show up more often.

Such is the case in those mountaintop moments with God. For an instant we can see that the trial has passed, and that it was God who brought us through. We can feel the tiny baby in our arms that was safely delivered or hear the apology of the friend we thought was gone forever.

But, to our shame, we’re sensory addicts. If those touchy-feely blessings are absent, we’re often oblivious to God’s goodness. How can we keep that mountaintop perspective, even after our moment of clarity passes?

One thing to consider is that even when we are able to see God’s tangible goodness in our lives, we’re only seeing the tip of the iceberg. God’s plans for our lives are far bigger than our ability to perceive them.

As Good As It Gets

In Genesis, Joseph experienced some real down times. His early years as the favored child of Jacob earned him the jealousy of his brothers, who sold him into slavery. Then, after faithfully serving his Egyptian master, he was thrown to rot in jail because of the false accusation of Potiphar’s wife.

But he also had some up times. God delivered him from prison and established him as the premier in Egypt, second only to Pharaoh. During this time Joseph had not only a powerful position, but also a wife and two children. He also had a moment of clarity in which he could see the goodness of God.

Joseph’s gratitude can be seen in the way he names his kids: “Joseph named his firstborn Manasseh and said, ‘It is because God has made me forget all my trouble and all my father’s household.’ The second son he named Ephraim and said, ‘It is because God has made me fruitful in the land of my suffering’” (Genesis 41:51-52).

Manasseh means something like “forgetfulness” and Ephraim means something like “doubly fruitful.” In other words, Joseph was acknowledging that God had both soothed his pain over his family history and that He had materially blessed him.

Not too shabby. That’s about as good as it gets, right?

Wrong. If Joseph was under the impression that God’s blessing was only snack-sized (as wonderful as it was), then he was in for a shock. God had barely begun.

Sir, Methinks Thou Protesteth Too Much

Allow me to suggest that all was not well in Joseph’s heart, even after his season of blessing. Sure, things were going great on the outside, but —think about it— he named his kids “forgetfulness” and “double-blessing.” On one hand these names reminded him of God’s faithfulness. On the other hand, he was equally reminded of the family he was trying to forget and of his land of suffering.

Perhaps he was carrying a little unresolved emotional baggage.

Did Joseph ever expect any resolution with his painful family past? Maybe, maybe not. But God gave it to him anyway. You know the rest of his story: Joseph’s brothers and father came down to Egypt and he was reunited with them. His forgotten dreams of what God was doing in his life came back to mind (Genesis 42:9).

Wow. God’s blessings were bigger than he may have suspected — at least medium-sized.

Joseph got his happy ending so the story was over, right?

Sorry my friends, wrong again. There was more to come.

Super-size Me

With time and perspective, Joseph was able to see that God’s plans in his life were far more significant than he may have suspected. When his brothers came to him to ask for forgiveness for what they had done, Joseph laid out the big picture for them: “You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives” (Genesis 50:20).

God’s raised Joseph to power in Egypt and gave him wisdom so that the lives of many people would be saved from a severe famine. God’s blessing extended beyond Joseph’s life to affect the lives of many others, even though that blessing was not always apparent.

And, truth be told, Joseph may have still not seen the full extent of God’s blessing through his life. Consider the things we can see from our perspective: God’s actions in his life preserved God’s people, the Jews. Likewise, the line of the Messiah was also preserved. Ultimately, Jesus was to come out of that Jewish lineage to suffer and die for all humanity that we might be saved and reconciled to God.

Now that’s a super-sized blessing if I ever saw one. So if you’re quick to think that God’s blessing and plans for your life are only fleeting and small, think again. There’s so much more beneath the surface.

— Adam Pivec
8/10/08